Detachable can handle



March 12, 1946.

B. voTAw DETACHABLE CAN HANDLE Filed Jan. 15, 1945 INVENTOR 4w;

Patented Mar. 12, 1946 Ui'i'ED STATES'PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE CAN HANDLE Blair Votaw, Maricopa County, Arlz.

Application January 15, 1945, Serial No. 572,829

2 Claims.

This invention pertains to detachable can handles for metal cans, canisters, and the like, and has for its objects the provision of a handle which may be easily and cheaply made and which may be attached to and detached from a can by a simple manual operation of the user.

A further object is to provide a handle attached to a spring closing clamp adapted to engage the top and bottom rims of metal cans.

A still further object is to provide a handle structure having an attached vertical member provided with a hook at its bottom to engage the bottom rim of a can, and a flat spring at its top contained within the handle portion adapted to resiliently engage the top rim of the can.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I attain the foregoing objects by means of the devices, manufactures, and mechanisms, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-'- Figure l is a side elevation of one form of my device as applied to a metal paint can;

Figure 2, a plan view thereof;

Figure 3, an elevation of the inner face of the clamping member of the device;

Figure 4, a vertical section of the top hook member;

Figure 5. a horizontal section taken substantially on line -5, Fig, 1;

Figure 6, side elevation of a slightly modified form of my device;

Figure '7, a plan view thereof.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

A handle 2 is attached by a horizontal top cross-piece 3 to a vertical member 4 slightly shorter than the heights of the can on which the device is to be used. These parts are formed of one piece of channel metal. arranged so that the channel faces the can with the flanges 5 engaging its side. Wider flanges are rolled to form the handle portion 2. Within the channel of the vertical member A is a top rim hook 6 which is retained within the channel by lugs l slidably operative in slots 8 in the web of the vertical member. The lugs are bent over as shown in Fig. 5 to hold the hook piece 6 in place. At the upper end of this top rim hook piece there is a hook It; shaped curved and sized to engage the upper rim ll of the can l3. At its lower end a lug E2 is formed to receive the upper end of spring !4. This spring extends downward in the groove l6 pressed in the channel of the vertical member 4. The lower end is attached to a lug 15, near the bottom of this mem- The parts described are proportioned so that,

when the top hook member is held down upon the top rim of the can, its lower rim will be engaged by the bottom hook I1. These parts are maintained in engagement by the tension of spring I4.

In the form shown in Figures 6 and 7, the handle 22 is formed as a part of the vertical member 24 in one piece with the horizontal joining portion 23 integral. These parts are made of metal or plastic and are hollow, and shaped to form a substantially square section. The inner face 26 of the vertical member 24 may be made concave to conform to the contour of the can. A hook 27 is provided at its lower end for engagement with the bottom rim of the can. At its top, where it joins the connecting portion 23, the interior is made hollow to provide an opening 28 to receive fiat spring 30. The inner end of this spring is held in place in slot 3| extending through the top of connecting portion 23. It is then bent in a U sha e so that the free end extends outward and upward to form the hook 32 shaped to engage the top rim 33 of can 3 It is held in place by cross-pin 35. The spring is removed and inserted through an opening 36 in the bottom of cross-portion 23.

This form of my device is most suitable for holding light cans such as beer cans and the like, while the form first described is best suited to holding paint and other heavier cans.

In use, the person desiring to attach the handle to a can grasps the handle and hooks the top hook over the top rim of the can. He then applies downward pressure sufiicient to extend the bottom hook below the bottom rim of the can and then releases this pressure so that the bottom hook moves up and engages the bottom rim. This is, obviously, a very simple operation. The device then retains the can with whatever pressure is required, depending on the size of the top hook springs. Removal from the can is made in the same way.

While I have described but two forms of my device, it is obvious that many changes to the several parts may be made, none of which would,

however, alter the general combination of parts or the relative functioning of these parts. Therefore, I wish to be limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A detachable can holder for metal cans having top and bottom rims, comprising in combination, a vertically extending handle; a vertical member having an inner face adapted to conform to the side of a can to be held; a horizontally outwardly extending portion joining the top thereof to said handle and provided with a recess; a. hook, adapted to engage the bottom rim of a can to be held,, attached to the bottom of said vertical member; and a spring retained in said recess having a U shaped bend and positioned so that its inner end anchors on said horizontally extending portion and its free outer end extends outward from said recess therein and is provided with a hook adapted to engage the top rim of a can to be. held with a downward tension toward the hook at the bottom of said vertical member.

2. A detachable can holder for cans having top and bottom rims, comprising, in combination, a substantially vertically extending handle and a vertical can contacting frame member joined at their top ends by an integrally formed horizontal portion provided with a spring retaining recess with a transverse slot adjacent the vertical frame member; a U shaped flat spring retained in said recess with one leg end thereof engaging the outer edge oi said slot and the other leg thereof extending upward through said slot and terminating in a hook adapted to engage the top rim of a can to be held with downward tension; and a hook on the bottom of said vertical can contacting frame member adapted to engage the bottom rim of a can to be held;

BLAIR VO'IAW. 

